Explosive



Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT F CE,

LLEWELLYN J. W. crowns, or TACOMA, WASHINGTON, nssrenon To JAMEs'r. Gems;

0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

ExPLos vE No Drawing.

My invention relates to explosives whose characteristic ingredients are chlorates or perchlorates, or nitrates, of an alkaline metal, or of ammonium.

I am aware that patents have been issued covering the use of liquid oily dinitrotoluene with chlorates or perchlorates of alka- I find that the so-called commercial liquid dinitrotoluene remains liquid at temperatures ranging from 83 C. to 66 0., in different samples, but that in Winter it crystallizes when the atmospheric temperature reaches near or below freezing.

I have discovered that mononitrotoluene, particularly the isomer called orthonitrotoluene, is just as good a sensitizer as the binitrotoluene and, as it does not crystallize until the temperature falls below -10 C. it is practically not affected by ordinary freezing temperatures. I find, however, that while orthonitrotoluene is a good sensitizer it is too fluid and has not sufiicient viscosity to make a good plastic explosive powder, so I add to it sufiicient trinitrotoluene to give it the necessary body and, by so doing, I also add more oxygen and thus obtain a more powerful explosive.

Orthonitrotoluene is a good solvent for trinitrotoluene, which is a solid crystalline substance which melts at 68 C. By melting trinitrotoluene in steam vats I can mix it with orthonitrotoluene in any desired proportion and thus produce a sensitizer which is stronger than the orthonitrotoluene alone.

The trinitrotoluene is therefore dissolved in the orthonitrotoluene and is prevented from solidifying by the said orthonitrotoluene Application filed March 21, 1927.' Serial No. 177,215.

and, in turn, increases the viscosity and-the explosive effect of the mixturei My improved explosive,*thercfore, comprises -chlorates ;or perchlorates of. alkali metals, specifically sodium or potassium, or of ammonium, withor withoutnitrates of alkali metals, specifically sodium or potassium, or .of ammonium, or the above nitrates without the chlorates, ,together with carbonaceous substances, such as sawdust, charcoal, flour orstarch, with or without silico-aluminous substances, such as brickdust, powdered clay, or sand, or with or without carbonates of alkaline earth metal, particularly calcium carbonate, suchas'limestone, together with liquid orthonitrotoluene mixed with liquefied trinitrotoluene, said dry substances being first thoroughly mixed together and then "the liquid mixture poured over and thoroughly mixed with the said solids, whereby each grain is coated with the said liquid, J The exactproportions ofwhich the various kinds or grades of explosives are composed, will vary within rather wide limits depending upon the character of the work required of them, their cost, and the'circumstances under which they are to operate, for

instance, the following would be typical powders Rock powder #1 v Parts Sodium chlorate i; 78 Trinitrotoluene' i I 7 'Orthonitrotoluene 8 Sawdust 7 R007: powder 7 Parts Sodium chlorate 78 Sodium nitrate 7 Sawdust 5 Trinitrotoluene 8 Orthonitrotolueneiu 7 Sodium chlorate Stamping powder #1 stumping powder #2 Parts 33 Sodium nitrate 40 Sawdust 9 Trinitrotoluene 9 Orthonitrotoluene l- 9 Stmnpz'ng powder #3 Parts Sodium nitrate 7 3 Sawdust 9 Trinitrotoluene 9 Orthonitrotoluene 9 Having, therefore, described my invention, what I claim is 1. An explosive consisting of an oxidizing agent, a powdered carbonaceous absorbent, and a liquid mixture of liquid orthonitrotoluene with melted trinitrotoluene.

2. An explosive consisting of alkaline chlorates, a powdered carbonaceous absorbent, and a liquid mixture of liquid orthonitroluene with melted trinitrotoluene.

3. An explosive consisting of sodium chlorate, a powdered carbonaceous absorbent, and a liquid mixture of liquid orthonitrotoluene with melted trinitrotoluene.

4. An explosive consisting of sodiumchlorate, alkaline nitrates, a powdered carbonaceaus absorbent, and a liquid mixture of liquid orthonitrotoluene with melted trinitrotoluene. V

5. An explosive consisting of sodium chlorate, sodium nitrate, a powdered carbonaceaus absorbent, and a liquid mixture of liquid orthonitrotoluene with melted trinitrotoluene.

' ture of 5 to 10 parts of liquid orthonitrotoluene with 6 to 12 parts of melted trinitrotoluene.

LLEWELLYN J W. JONES.

parts of liquid. orthoni- 

